Pneumatic clutch for starters



March 10, 1931. A. MoRToN PNEUMATIC CLUTCH FOR STARTERS l Filed Dec. 9,1929

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b /f l M /r, n# MM n mm v //MNQ N.. ...Hw|.w m., 25,5 M m latented li/'lar'. 10, 1931 ANDR Monson, on PARIS, FRANCE" Applcation'liled December 9, 1929, Serial 110.412,88?, andin France July 16, 1929.

My invention relates to improved pneumatically controlled connecting means, chiefly adapted for pneumatic starters of any'type for instance of thetype disclosed/in mi7 co-.`

pending application Y o'. 347,977 filed on March 18,1929..

Starters for internal combnstionengines are generally provided with so-called Bendix devices comprising af pinion moving longitudinally on thev starter shaft and engaging when the starter is operative a toot-hed wheel driving the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine. But these devices are rough and in the case of electric starters, it has been attempted to replace theinjby electromagnetic devices such as an electromagnet energized when current passes through the starter for making the pinionV slide over theshaft. p p The object Vof my invention isto replace Bendix devices infpneumatic starters. l To accomplish this I use a pinion slidably secured to the shaft of the starter so as to rotate insV tegra-lly therewith.l The starter shaft is hollow and inside it maymove a piston rigidly secured to the pinion and urged by a spring into a position for which the pinion is disengaged from the gearworlrof the motorto be driven. When starting, theV compressed.v air 0 or gas driving the starter passes into the shaft and drives the pistonwhereby--the pinion is `brought into engagement with' the motor g'earwork.` l y l 1 On appended drawing l have shown such an arrangement applied to the starter `described in my above mentioned application. But vobviously this connecting gear may be used with any type of starter and not exclusively with the one mentioned hereinabove.

The starter rotor 9 is secured to the hollow sha-ft 31 by a key 31a and carries in its cylindrical bores pistons 13 and 14 the ends of which are provided with rollers 15and 16 bearing against the guiding slopes 8 on the stator; the inlet port 5 and outlet port 55 are provided in the distributor plate 43 on the opposite side of the stator. The rotor shaft 31 is carried by a ball bearing 32, an ordinary bearing 33 and if required an outer bearing 34. Inside this shaft is slidably disposed k'sured by any other suitable means.

piston 35 secured through a pin 36 passing through elongated apertures of the shaft to a sleeve 38. This sleeve 38 carries the pinion 21-which i's'to engage and to disengage the y, toothed wheel 39 on the engine to be started. 55

The sleeve 38'is slidably mounted on the hollow shaft 31 andis driven thereby through the agency of a longitudinal key 38a.

Aspring 41 is secured on one hand to the n piston 35 and 1 on the other` to the key 42 passing through the'blind end of the hollow shaft 31. VIt urges the piston 35-towards the right so afs to release the pinionQl from en-r gageinent with the wheel 39. i

In the distributor plate duct 5 which brings the compressed uid e. g. compressed-air to the rotorfor ldriving same.

Achannel 44 allows this air to pass into the chamber 45 and from there through the port I y 46 inside the hollow shaft 31 The .air'tightness of the chamber 45 is ensured 'by the cup shaped leather packings 47 and 48, the lattery beinglsecured'between the washers 49 and 50 by means of nuts 51 so as to be integral with the hollow shaft 31;

'15 The operation of this improved connection 1s as follows: As soon as compressed air enters the duct, 1t causes the rotor and there- -with its 'shaft `to rotate and simultaneously rentersthrough 44, 45 and 43 inside said shaf iirging leftwards the piston 35 against the antagonistic spring .41. This causes the pinion 21'to engage the toothed wheel 39. As

soon ascompressed air ceases flowing into the l starter,v the piston 35 returns towards the 85 right under the action of its spring and the starter is thus disconnected from the engine to be started.

i The rotor is caused to bear against the distributor plate by reason of the difference between the diameter given to the pistons and that given to the apertures provided at the inner end of the rotor cylinders and also of r the pressureexerted on the leather packing 48 Vand transmitted thereby to the rotor shaft. This latter-arrangement is of use withthe starterl shown butk may be unnecessary in starters of a different type in which case the fluid tightness of the chamber 45 may be en 43 is provided a lli/'hat l claim is:

l. ln a compressed air motor for starting internal combustion engines comprising a stator, a hollow rotary shaft, a rotor keyed thereto and a distributor plate on the stator, the combinati vi of a gear wheel on the engine to be started, a pinion slidably mounted on the hollow and adapted to engage said gear wheel, a piston slidably mounted inside the hollow shaft and movin 0' integrally "tl said pinion, yielding means urging the 71ml piston in one direction and means for feeding con `ssed air to the hollow shaft for ia ring le pistonmove in the opposite direcnon.

Q. ln a compressed air motor for starting internal combustion engines comprising stator, a hollow rotary shaft, a rotor keyed thereto and a distributor plate provided with inlet ant and with an` axial cha-mber arou of a gear u pinion slidaoly moun` and adapted to engage i ton slidably inountet i le the hollow shaft and moving integrali rewth, yielding means urging the piston iV one direction, means connect' g' tl with the axial chamber and mez` is connect the said axial chamber with the inside of the hollow shaft t the end of the latter towards which the on the hollow shaft d froarwheel, a pisat piston is urg d by the Yyielding means. s

3. compressed ai iiotor for starting internal combustion engines comprising a cylindrical stator, a distributor plate provided with admission and exhaust ports closing one end thereof, a second plate closing the other end thereof, a cylindrical cam raised on the inner side thereof, a hollow shaft,` a rotor borne thereby adapted to rotate inside the stator anc provided with a pluralityof cylindrical bores, pistons adapted to'slide in the rotor bores, rollers disposed between 'the outer end of the pistons and the cam, a gearwheel on the engine to be started, a pinion slidably mounted on the hollow shaft and adapted to engage said gear wheel, a piston slidably mounted inside the hollow shaft and moving integrally with said pinion, a spring urging lastmentioned piston inwards into a position in which the pinion disengagcs the toothed wheel and means whereby coin- 1pressed air is diverted from the admission ports and enters the Vhollow shaft at the end towards which he piston is urged by the yielding means.

a. A compressed air motor for starting internal combustion engines comprising a cylindrical stator, a distributor plateproyided with admission and exhaust ports closing one end thereof, a second plate closingvthe other end thereof, a cylindrical cam raised the inner side thereof, a hollow shaft provided with a small longitudinal slot, a roter borne thereby adapted to rotate inside the stator and provided with a plurality of cylindrical bores, pistons adapted to slide in the rotor bores, rollers disposed between the outer end of the pistons and the cam, a gearwheel on the engine to be started, a pinion slidably mounted on the hollow shaft and adapted to engage said gearwheel, a piston slidably mounted inside the hollow shaft, means connecting rigidly the pinion with last mentioned piston and passing through the slot in the hollow shaft, a spring urging 'lastmentioned piston inwards into a position for which the pinion disengages the toothed wheel and means wherebyvcompressed air is diverted from the admission ports and enters the hollow shaft at the end towards which the piston is urged by the yielding means.

5. il compressed air motor for starting internal combustion engines Comprising a cylindrical stator, a distributor plate provided,

with admission and exhaust ports and with an axial chamber closing one end thereof, a second plate closing the other end thereof, a cylindrical cam raised on the inner side thereof, a hollow shaft passing through the axial f..

chamber in the distributor plate provided Vwith a small longitudinal slot, a rotor borne thereby adapted to rotate inside the stator and provided with a plurality of cylindrical bores, pistons adapted to slide in the rotor w bores, rollers disposed between the outer end of the pistons and the cam, a gearwheel on the engine to be started, a pinion slidably mounted on the hollow Ashaft and adapted to engage said gearwheel, a piston sli'dably mounted inside the hollow shaft, means connesting rigidly the pinion with' lastmentioned piston and passing through the slot in the hollow shaft, a spring urging lastmentioned piston inwards into a position for which the pinion disengages the toothed wheel, a duet eonnecting the compressed air admission port with the axial chamber in the distributor plate and means connecting the axial chamber with the inside of the hollow shaft at the end ofthe latter towards which the piston is urged by the yielding means.

6. ln a compressed air starter as 'claimed in claim 5 the provision of two cup shaped packings closing the axial chamber in the distributor plate, the packing nearer the 'engine to be started bearing against the plate wall, and the other being secured to the hollow shaft. l

In testimony I have affixed my signature.

ANDR MoRToN. 

